Oregano in Mel's Mix

Kabaju42 3/21/2010, 11:44 pm

I was looking up how to grow oregano, and I've seen that you're not supposed to use fertilizer because it actually hurts the flavor. I can see putting too much chemical fertilizer harming it, but since Mel's mix is all natural, I wonder if it would be okay.

So I was wondering, has anyone else tried growing it? Any thoughts on this?

**WardinWake** 3/22/2010, 6:42 am

Kabaju42 wrote:I was looking up how to grow oregano, and I've seen that you're not supposed to use fertilizer because it actually hurts the flavor. I can see putting too much chemical fertilizer harming it, but since Mel's mix is all natural, I wonder if it would be okay.

So I was wondering, has anyone else tried growing it? Any thoughts on this?

Because Mel's Mix is not a commerical fertilizer, i.e., chemical, you will be able to grow a wonder oregano in you SFG. Check to see if oregano is invasive in nature because if it is you might want to put in in a box, such as a 2X2, by itself.

God Bless, Ward.

Patty from Yorktown 3/22/2010, 7:10 am

Oregano is a member of the mint family. It will grow from seed and underground runner.
It wants to take over the world, be warned.

Patty from Yorktown

**WardinWake** 3/22/2010, 7:21 am

Patty from Yorktown wrote:Oregano is a member of the mint family. It will grow from seed and underground runner.
It wants to take over the world, be warned.

Patty from Yorktown

Thanks Patty.

As Oregano is invasive the growers might wish to put it in a box with a solid bottom such as plywood to keep the runners from escaping into the rest of the garden. With a solid bottom drill 1/4 inch drain holes every 12 inches with an extra hole in the corner and hope the runners are confined to the box.
\
God Bless, Ward.

Lavender Debs 3/22/2010, 9:25 am

Wish I had known that a couple of years ago Wake. In the mountain valley that I called home for 20 years it was one of the herbs that survived every winter but stayed put. I was putzing in my herb garden yesterday wondering why there was oregano everywhere. Now I know.

Deborah ....Pizza?

Kabaju42 3/22/2010, 9:56 pm

WardinWake wrote:Because Mel's Mix is not a commercial fertilizer, i.e., chemical, you will be able to grow a wonder oregano in you SFG. Check to see if oregano is invasive in nature because if it is you might want to put in in a box, such as a 2X2, by itself.

God Bless, Ward.

Yeah, but do you have any experience with it? I know that Mel's mix isn't a factory made chemical, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee it for me. I know that several Utah native plants (penstemon for example) also don't do well in moist, fertile soils. It turns out that they're so used to the dry baron landscape that they have no immunity to anything else that the moisture and nutrients may harbor, even though they are things that would otherwise go unnoticed. That's why I wanted to know if anyone had experience with it.

WardinWake wrote:As Oregano is invasive the growers might wish to
put it in a box with a solid bottom such as plywood to keep the runners
from escaping into the rest of the garden. With a solid bottom drill
1/4 inch drain holes every 12 inches with an extra hole in the corner
and hope the runners are confined to the box.

That is very good to know. Are the other members of the mint family, like basil, also invasive? Fortunantley I just built my boxes last weekend (I hope to post pictures soon) and I have several scraps in the 1-2ft range that I was planning on building small boxes out of.

LupinFarm 3/22/2010, 10:17 pm

Uh oh...I planted Oregano in the small kitchen garden last year. Hmm..

Patty from Yorktown 3/22/2010, 10:20 pm

Hi,

I have not heard basil referred to as being a member of the mint family. That is interesting, I will have to do a little looking. Anyways I have not had a problem with basil getting out of control. It is an annual. It likes the warm/hot days of summer. The more you pinch it back the more it will branch. I like pesto, so this is a good thing in my book. I plant basil in 4 or 1 to a square. It depends on the type of basil, as to how many go into a square. Enjoy your pesto sauce.

Patty from Yorktown

SirTravers 3/22/2010, 10:30 pm

I've grown lemon and sweet basil in an open garden with sage and coriander with no problems. They should do great in a SFG box.

Kabaju42 3/22/2010, 10:32 pm

Mmmm... pest sauce; I hadn't thought of that one. Sounds tasty. I was actually going for a pasta sauce garden this year.

**donnainzone5** 3/23/2010, 10:33 am

Because I use and need only small amounts of this herb, I grow it in a pot filled with Mel's Mix, and it does well in that environment. Yes, it's invasive, but the pot contains its aggressive nature....

Basil is a winner in the SFG environment; don't hesitate to plant one or several varieties in your boxes.

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Oregano in Mel's Mix

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Lemon and sweet basil are safe

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Oregano in Mel's Mix

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